Workflows for Virtual Worlds/Virtual Reality

These are some notes I'm taking to remember how I got some things to work for student projects.

Scenario 1: Importing 3D Models Into Opensim

Correcting Collada Model Errors

First time I spent money ($15!) on a 3D model to use there was an issue. The snow leopard was inside-out; the texture was on the inside and the outside was transparent. I learned after much searching that the "normals" had to be recalculated, which can only be done in a 3D program. The download included an FXB file so I used Blender, imported the FXB file, went to Edit Mode > Mesh > Normals > re-calculate outside normals which flipped the orientation of the faces to outside. Then I exported that as an OBJ file. Then I could import into Opensim with Singularity viewer. I chose File > Upload Mesh > High detail. It comes in gray so change the color to
white, select full bright, then upload the texture separately, which was part of the zip I purchased, and apply it to the mesh.

Importing Other Collada Models (easy)

I found a nice rock, students can change the size and rotate it to make different rocky surfaces. In Singularity I choose File > Upload Mesh, and import the DAE file, high detail. Again, it's gray so change the color to white, import the jpg texture separately and apply it.

Importing XML mesh files (easy)

Lots of good prims here for import. These are XML files with accompanying textures that will import and apply the textures automatically. In Singularity, choose File > Import with textures, and it will import and rez fully formed.

Scenario 2: Designing in Opensim and Porting to Unity for VR

Building A Scene

For the snow leopard, I had to repair it as above. Students can design their scene in Opensim, then link all the parts, then export as DAE, including textures. Any parts they will want to rearrange in Unity should not be linked, though, but exported separately. Here's a small example:

Then in Unity, dump that into a folder in the project Assets. Select the textures in the model once it's placed and change the albedo color to white and lower the smoothness to 0. If collision detection is needed, add a capsule collider and edit the size to what seems appropriate after testing in the player.

Trees Are Not Exportable

The tree prims in Opensim are apparently protected from export. I tried importing lots of pine tree models (the tree type students needed) and was not successful. So I ended up purchasing a $2 pine tree pack in the Unity Asset Store and those imported right into Unity for them to add in to their scene.